In this episode of Wise Women with Daisy Khan, Dr. Daisy Khan sits down with Iranian-American author and Middle East expert Banafsheh Keynoush for an urgent discussion about the escalating Iran-Israel conflict that threatens global stability. As tensions reach a breaking point, Keynoush provides insider knowledge about Iran's nuclear capabilities, the religious fatwa against nuclear weapons, and why most Iranians actually support America despite decades of sanctions. Discover the real story behind Iran's 85 million people, their ethnic diversity, and why this ancient civilization has never been colonized. Learn about the failed nuclear negotiations, the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, and how environmental disasters could devastate the entire Persian Gulf region. Keynoush explains Iran's underground missile capabilities, the succession plans for leadership, and why regime change through military action may backfire completely. This analysis goes beyond headlines to examine realistic scenarios for de-escalation, the role of Saudi Arabia and other regional powers, and what both Trump and Iranian leadership need to understand to prevent catastrophic war. Get the expert perspective on whether diplomacy can still prevail before it's too late.
Banafsheh Keynoush, Ph.D. Fellow | Kroc Center for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame Non-Resident Scholar | Middle East Institute Author | "The Abraham Accords: National Security, Regional Order and Popular Representation"; “Saudi Arabia and Iran: Friends or Foes?”; “The World Powers and Iran: Before, During and After the Nuclear Deal” Authored Reports | “Revolutionary Iran’s Africa Policy”; “Red Sea Peace Initiatives: Saudi Arabia’s Role in the Ethiopia-Eritrea Rapprochement”.

What if the seeds of American emancipation were planted centuries before the Civil War by a 7th-century orphan who freed his enslaved surrogate mother? In the premiere episode of Wise Women with Daisy Khan, Dr. Khan connects Prophet Muhammad's early abolition movement to the 10% of enslaved Africans who were Muslim – and whose descendants now represent 40% of American Muslims. Joined by educator Quran Shakir, this episode reveals how enslaved Muslim women braided escape routes into their daughters' hair, hid okra seeds in their scalps, and transformed quilts into freedom maps. From Bilal's call to prayer atop the Kaaba to Clara Muhammad's fight that legalized homeschooling in America, discover the spiritual resistance that shaped a nation. This isn't just history – it's a blueprint for modern liberation that connects ancient Islamic teachings to contemporary struggles for human dignity. Prepare to see Juneteenth, and your own faith journey, in an entirely new light. Facebook: @daisykhan Instagram: @daisykhan.nyc YouTube: @daisykhanUSA Madam Q Social https://www.instagram.com/quran.shakir/?locale=es_US&hl=en https://www.facebook.com/MadameQ.Shakir/ Yasiin Bey Social https://www.instagram.com/yasiinbey/ https://www.facebook.com/yasiinbey Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir Socials https://x.com/Bilqis_AbdulQ https://www.instagram.com/bilqisabdulqaadir/ Ibtihaj Muhammad https://www.instagram.com/ibtihajmuhammad/ https://www.facebook.com/ibtihajmuhammadusa/ Muhammad Ali Center https://www.instagram.com/alicenterlou/ https://www.facebook.com/MuhammadAliCenter/ #wisewomen #DaisyKhan #WISEWomenPodcast #courageouswomen #Juneteenth2025 #FreedomDay #BlackFreedom #EmancipationDay #IslamicHistory #FaithAndFreedom #IslamicLiberation #IslamicResistance #IslamInAmerica #AfricanMuslimHistory #EnslavedMuslims #BlackMuslimHistory #EnslavedMuslims #MuslimSlaves #BlackHistory #ReligiousFreedom #FaithBasedResistance #CivilRights

What happens when a father hands his bullied daughter a pair of shiny red boxing gloves and says "learn to defend yourself"? In Saudi Arabia, where women's sports were once completely banned, two fathers dared to see strength in their daughters instead of fragility – and accidentally sparked a revolution. Dr. Daisy Khan's father gave her boxing gloves that became her armor for life, while guest Lina K. AlMaeena's journalist father risked his reputation to publish press releases about his daughter's underground basketball team. For 22 years, Lina built Jeddah United in the shadows, using a commercial license loophole to train women athletes when sports were considered immoral for girls. Then Vision 2030 arrived, and everything changed overnight – women's workforce participation jumped ahead of schedule, driving became legal, and a nation transformed. Here's the contradiction: while fathers privately encouraged their daughters to be athletes, society publicly condemned women's sports as forbidden – until 70% of the population under 25 demanded change. This episode reveals how two fathers' faith in their daughters helped reshape not just individual lives, but an entire kingdom's future.

This is Wise Women with Daisy Khan – because every woman's story matters.

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